expl0043
Pacific Ring of Fire Expedition. Stalked crinoid (~ 5 inches across, ~13 cm) on the caldera seafloor at West Rota volcano. Crinoids are suspension feeders, using their crown, which is covered with sticky pinnules, to capture zooplankton. Mariana Arc region, Western Pacific Ocean. 2004 April.
Credit: Pacific Ring of Fire 2004 Expedition. NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration; Dr. Bob Embley, NOAA PMEL, Chief Scientist.